


A Very Little Future

by sleepylavender



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Natsume's sick, Nyanko-sensei Cat Detective, Nyanko-sensei takes care of his prey and investigates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-08-03
Packaged: 2019-06-16 05:27:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15429978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepylavender/pseuds/sleepylavender
Summary: Natsume's sick and for once, it isn't yokai related. Everyone is worried about him, and Nyanko-sensei investigates.Fevers suck, but warm food and loved ones do wonders for the soul.





	1. Nyanko-Sensei, Cat Detective Extraordinaire

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally going to be Nyanko-sensei's chapter in Three and a Half Peas in a Pod, but it didn't feel right, and I've wanted to write specifically on this topic for a while. I hope it's enjoyable to read, and please comment with your thoughts if you'd like!

Nyanko-sensei slept lightly, curled around his feverish servant in his larger form.

 

It had been a hot summer, but Natsume’s multiple fevers seemed never-ending, and more extreme than the weather warranted.

 

This was the third time in three weeks, and this one had breached the 104 F, almost 105 F mark. The home doctor was fairly useless, saying it was due to the weather changes and a compromised immune system. True, it seemed likely, but for a fever spell to be so persistent? 

 

Although Touko and Shigeru wanted it to be that simple, it was not. Initially, Nyanko chalked it up to a yokai, but no matter how many times he stalked Natsume’s dreams, there was little scent of yokai, and it was only his own.

 

The sly creepster, Natori, his rituals couldn’t find anything yokai related.

 

Misuzu and Hinoe could find no strain of yokai illness.

 

No, this was deeper.

 

Before it all started, he thought Natsume’s quiet, stretched smile, and his expressionless eyes would be gone the next day, like normal. It was occasionally typical after particularly bad dreams or particularly bad days that reminded him too much of unpleasant things.

 

However, as far as Nyanko-sensei knew, it was completely normal leading up to the first fever.

 

School was back in session and for a few days, they ran around like a chicken with its head cut off, as per usual. Some annoying tanuki pup requested them to save their father, and obviously, Natsume with his bleeding heart all too quickly agreed.

 

An older tanuki had forgotten his original form and his sanity had eroded, leading him to believe he was a human. However, because he wasn't powerful enough to show his form to humans and therefore be acknowledged, he took to possessing them to maintain his crumbling mindset. Thankfully, he wasn't powerful enough to completely overtake his victims, although his chaotic emotions affected them plenty.

 

After Nyanko-sensei stripped some of his power and expelled him from his final victim, they brought in his child to bring him to his senses. It was a slapdash plan, like all their plans, but thankfully managed to work. The two showed him a special mirror of truth that Natsume got from Hinoe for the exact purpose, and the crazed yokai returned to himself. A few days passed peacefully after that.

 

Cue the first fever, which was intense, but only lasted two days before it left. It had made sense at the time, considering that Natsume had been exerting himself so much.

 

He quickly bounced back and was healthy like normal. The Fujiwara’s thought it was normal as well, an occasional if not expected bout of illness that seemed to come to Natsume with every change of season. A couple more days had passed, relatively peaceful. Natsume had gone on a day trip with Shigeru that Sunday, saw the fox child for a bit, and the heavy fever returned the next day once more. This time, it lasted four days, Natsume barely conscious for most of it.

 

Healthy, eventually, although everyone was rather worried now. Natsume seemed fine, for more than a whole week after that. The doctor's reasons seemed plausible enough, that Nyanko-sensei could still chalk the fever up to the change of season, a lowered immune system, and overexertion. It didn't stop him from sniffing around the boy's dreams, of course, as Nyanko-sensei could practically hear Natsume reprimanding him for his shoddy bodyguard work even when Natsume was off in a fever-dream. The venture, though, came to nothing. 

 

The night before the initial fever, Natsume's group of friends had all studied together for some test. When Nyanko-sensei came back from drinking, Natsume’s eyes didn’t quite meet his own, and the teenager was acting forced.

 

Again, this only tended to happen when Natsume had bad dreams or bad days, although this day didn’t match by any accounts that Nyanko-sensei knew of. Nyanko-sensei just guessed that the boy was overwhelmed by so much people time, which wasn’t normally really, not with his friends, at least. But then, Natsume wasn’t a normal human child, either.

 

Natsume seemed a bit distant between the fevers, but the fat cat had thought it was because of his recovery, and lack of energy.

 

No yokai seemed to be involved this time.

 

Nyanko-sensei managed to protect his prey from curious hungry yokai looking for an easy snack, but he couldn’t think of anything else to do. It was three days into this third bout of fever, and there were no signs of it breaking.

 

If he interrupted Natsume’s dreams, the boy still full of illness, Natsume could only fall back into fitful sleep and it would slow down the healing process. If it wasn’t caused by a yokai, and it was only a natural illness, then there wasn’t anything Nyanko-sensei could do.  


“Madara, if it isn’t yokai related, perhaps... it’s because he doesn’t want to wake up.”

 

Nyanko-sensei had thought similar. “Physical human illness isn’t as drastic as yokai illness, Hinoe," the cat sighed, "but you might be right.”

 

Natsume’s fever had lessened that night, and Shigeru and Touko were both sleeping like logs after worrying themselves almost sick for days straight as well.

 

Nyanko-sensei couldn’t figure out _why_ Natsume wouldn’t want to wake up, however. He could understand if it had been Natsume’s past home life, but he was stupidly happy with the Fujiwara couple.

 

Why would he not want to wake up, then, if he was somewhere he was happy?

 

Compared to Natsume's normal dreams, these fever dreams were relatively happy and normal as well.

 

It was just bizarre.

 

“Reiko-lover, watch over Natsume for now.”

 

Hinoe furrowed her brow, frowning. “Where are you going?”

 

“To investigate! My prey can’t die before I get to eat him, after all.” Nyanko-sensei harrumphed, marching on out, ignoring the other yokai’s bemused smile.

 

The statement on her lips was left unspoken, smarter to keep from starting anything, especially at a time like this. However, Nyanko-sensei knew she wanted to say, with her all-knowing laugh, _why not just take the book now,_ or _you could eat him like this, you know._

 

“Oh, Natsume, if only you had Reiko’s…”

 

The rest of the mumble was unspoken, but the pig-cat gave a last glance at the room to see her poking his chest lightly as if still surprised by the differences between their Natsume and Reiko.

 

Then again, perhaps the earlier statements Nyanko-sensei thought might be on Hinoe’s mind probably wouldn’t be. If they were, the hoity witch would probably say them anyway.

 

* * *

 

 

It had been a long evening for the Detective Cat Extrodinare, running from house to house, asking Natsume’s friends all the pertinent questions he could think of. Unfortunately, nothing was particularly helpful, and he was down to the last one. The most annoying one.

 

Nyanko-sensei banged on the door, hatefully aware of the person he was having to ask for help.

 

“Oi! Shady man! Oii, bastard, wake up!”

 

The yokai with red puffy hair and horns opened the door, glaring at him. Nyanko-sensei always forgot her name.

 

“What business do you have here, cretinous pig-cat?”

 

Said pig-cat was actually grateful the creepy man and his three annoying shadows were all at the home where Natori had been before. Well, ‘home’ if you could call a mostly empty, lifeless apartment one. Nyanko-sensei could think of nothing more awful than running all over town, trying to find his nemesis by his nasty, evil stench.

 

A tired voice called from another room. “Bring him inside before the neighbors get suspicious.”

 

Nyanko-sensei was none too kindly thrown into the living room, landing unceremoniously on his stomach.

 

Natori, standing groggily in a gentleman’s robe, greeted him with a plastic smile. “Cute as always, Nyanko-sensei.”

 

“Creepy asshole,” Nyanko-sensei remarked, knowing Natori’s words were tailored made to make the cat uncomfortable.

 

The three familiars all glared at the cat, although only that, knowing it was the usual exchange between the two.

 

Natori sighed, shaking his head. “This is about Natsume, isn’t it?”

 

Nyanko-sensei wanted to be anywhere else but there, the exorcist’s smell a bit much in his home without Natsume’s presence. “His fever popped up again, and we’ve confirmed it isn’t yokai-related… you always say he can come to you if he gets tired of lying. You know he’s happy with the Fujiwara family, so why keep that up, with the asking?”

 

“I thought I’d keel over before you came to me for help.” Natori smiled. The cat stiffened, but the situation was not one he felt like joking in.

 

Natori shrugged a bit, lizard tattoo running across his slightly exposed chest, and then back behind the robe. “I thought that maybe, one day he’d get sick of lying. That’s all.”

 

Nyanko-sensei scoffed. “You know he’d do anything to be the Fujiwaras. Cough it up, washed up actor, why do you think he wouldn’t want to come back to them?”

 

The man crouched down to better meet with Nyanko-sensei’s face. “Shouldn’t you know better than me, pudgy cat? You’re the one with him all the time, you ought to know him best.”

 

Nyanko-sensei turned into his larger form, snarling at the man dancing around his question. “Be serious, bastard!”

 

The three familiars all reached for their weapons, although Natori put a hand out to motion them to stop. He walked to a side-table and put on his glasses before turning around to the large, agitated yokai once more.

 

“You already said it yourself, Nyanko-sensei. He would do anything to be with them, even if it was detrimental to himself. If they’re so precious to him, he wouldn’t want to wake up for two reasons. To either protect them somehow, which I doubt that in this situation, or to _keep_ himself with them.” Natori’s fake smile dropped into a much more serious, more natural look in Nyanko-sensei’s opinion. “It must be really bothering him if this fever isn’t stopping though.”

 

Nyanko-sensei returned to his preferred form, hopping onto the side table to make better eye contact with the slimy man. Unfortunately, the cat could find no lack of honesty in his expression, hiding nothing for once.  “Natsume isn’t a yokai though- humans shouldn’t be so affected by their emotions to this extent.”

 

Natori shrugged. “Humans can be plenty affected, however, if it’s an intense emotion. Especially considering how important living with the Fujiwaras is to him, I imagine it isn’t at all impossible.” The actor’s creepy smile returned, as he leaned in closer to the neko maneki. “If he’s sick, yokai should probably be targeting him, though. Shouldn’t you be at his side?”

 

Nyanko-sensei scoffed. “I’m not so careless as to leave my prey defenseless. That and your stinky protection charms are still there, exorcist.” The cat was tempted to ask why the man cared so much about his charge, but the natural liar wouldn’t be very likely to give him a real answer.

 

With some of a clue, the buta neko prepared to leave. “I’m not going to thank you, unsettling asshat.”

 

Natori laughed. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

 

* * *

  
  


“Eh?” Tanuma blinked, surprised. “Natsume was upset about something, then? I know he was out of it, but if it was so bad that he’s been plagued with illness… I should have pried more.”  His expression immediate morphed into guilt.

 

The fat cat much preferred Natsume’s honest, oddly attached friend to Natori, for sure. “What’s done is done, kid. Is there anything that would’ve made him so emotional, though?”

 

Taki, who was clearly struggling not to hug Nyanko-sensei, through gritted teeth and a deadly grip on a pillow, spoke up. “It… it might be…”

 

Tanuma looked at her as if the world rested on her words. A ridiculously concerned child. “What is it, Taki?”

 

Her death clutch relaxed a bit as she glanced at the sleeping beauty, who had yet to wake up since Nyanko-sensei had returned the night before. “He always goes into his shell a bit when we talk about the future, or have to fill out post-secondary school forms. We had them again recently, and I think we have parent-teacher meetings soon.”

 

As if to congratulate her hypothesis, Nyanko-sensei sighed deeply and nodded.

 

Quicker than he had ever seen a yokai move, she held him in her twig-like arms with a vice grip traditionally only shared with hunters with their claws and teeth sunk into their prey, like an alligator’s death roll.

 

Tanuma kept glancing at his sleeping friend, worry written all over his face. “So, Natsume worried about this so much that he made himself this sick?”

 

It was a bit doubtful for most to be plagued by fevers from considering the future, sure. However, having seen the extreme lengths the beanpole go through just to keep the Fujiwara’s safe and removed from the yokai world, it was entirely likely, if not something Nyanko-sensei was completely convinced about.

 

Nyanko-sensei struggled to breathe for a bit, unable to contribute until Taki relaxed her arms. “S-sorry, Nyanko-sensei.”

 

The cat only made an affirmative grumble, his mind more preoccupied with his servant.

 

Tanuma looked at Natsume as if he were in the throes of death, stricken with grief. “Natsume… he’s never talked much about what he would want to do in the future, even when we talk about it as a group.”

 

Taki nodded, deflating a bit. “He’s probably worried that everyone will leave, or that he can’t be with the Fujiwara couple anymore.”

 

“What?” Shigeru whispered, a tray of tea and fruit in hand as he fumbled to open the door, shocked. The elder man was uncharacteristically wearing his normally stoic concern freely. “Do you think that’s why he’s been so stressed lately?” A quiet, regretful sorrow lined his features, completely taken aback with the new information.

 

Taki and Tanuma both jumped a bit at the sudden noise, but then met his eyes. “He’s never said anything about it, but it’s likely,” the monk’s son replied weakly.

 

A heavy silence weighed the room, palpable. 

 

Shigeru stood there, face visibly reflecting all the emotions he was processing until he promptly set the tray down. "Thank you, kids." He then walked out, determined and purposeful.

 

Taki and Tanuma both relaxed a little in the absence of the adult.

 

"What exactly can we do, though?" Taki questioned out loud, fiddling with the edge of her skirt, Nyanko-sensei having since made his way to the food, the snacks already mostly devoured.

 

Tanuma perked up, patting her lightly on the shoulder with a reassuring smile. "Maybe we didn't know before, so we couldn't help him, but when he wakes up this time, we can make sure to really talk with him about it."

 

She nodded, sharing a smaller smile herself. "I'll find a good tea that will relax his anxiety, then, when we do. Oh!" She grinned wider as if she were on to something. "Maybe I'll try to make good luck charms, too."

 

The boy looked away, hiding a pained grimace. "Yeah, they were... cute."

 

"Weren't they?" Taki got up, oblivious, and gathered her things. "I'll start working on it right away, then!"

 

The black haired boy pushed himself up as well, grabbing his bag. "I'll walk you, since it's late."

 

The two were quickly gone, leaving just Nyanko-sensei and Natsume once more.

 

 


	2. Best Friends

 The fever came to him with the weather changes like normal, although it had been intense for a moment. Thankfully, he slept through it pretty quickly, and he didn’t fall too behind with school. It wasn't unusual in the slightest. 

 

However, once more when he returned, the paper sat on his desk. Although his homeroom teacher was trying to be light about it, they seemed rather concerned that Natsume's was blank. Then, as if inspired by Natsume’s difficulties with his post-secondary school plan, decided to call for parent-teacher meetings on the topic.

 

It was an odd concept to him. Parent-teacher meetings didn’t usually apply to him, not really. His caretaker and school at any given time would change, or forget about it, or not care. That, and it hadn’t been important. He was the tossed around liar, sure, so no one cared if he wanted to go to more prestigious school; he would move before too long, and it would all start over again.

 

Not to mention, he was usually too concerned about the present yokai tormenting him, or trying to be as little of a burden as possible. So, he didn't tend to have much energy to care much about his grades.

 

It wasn’t that Natsume had any real trouble at this school, having long since learned how to discreetly deal with yokai (mostly, anyway) and actually had friends, and had the time to adjust to everything, this time. He didn’t think the Fujiwaras would care that his grades were just alright, and probably wouldn’t mind that he slept through class here or there. There hopefully wouldn’t be much to worry them, then, about his school performance and enjoyment.

 

However, his teacher had definitely learned that Natsume was hesitant toward future plans. That would surely worry them.

 

Perhaps he was becoming conceited, but he was sure they would be okay with it, too, if he asked to stay in the town. They probably would smile if he asked to stay in their home with them a bit longer. But he couldn’t burden them forever, and what would he do when the time came to leave? What would he say if they asked what he wanted to do in the future?

 

Anything he’d say would feel like a lie, after all. He never gave much thought to it, because he didn’t know if he’d get this far. Where he’d be when he got to this age, or even if he'd get to this age. For all he knew, he could've gone awol into the woods, spirited away by a yokai, or running away from people.

 

All Natsume wanted was to stay with the Fujiwaras, and his friends.

 

But they would leave him alone again, eventually. Or worse- he would leave loved ones behind him, for the first time.

 

He didn’t want that. He was happy, for the first time, and it was going away again, and he would be on his own once more.

 

Natsume’s fever came back again, and he fell a little more behind in school. He wasn’t able to smile genuinely, although thankfully no one had yet noticed.

 

He understood his own worries as stupid and selfish. If anything, Natsume learned that unless something killed him, he’d probably keep living, whether he wanted to or not. So, even without his friends and Touko and Shigeru, he’d survive.

 

He’d made it this far, after all.

 

However, that was before he had known what a family was, and what friends were. How nice it was, to be loved, and to be with others.

 

So, how could he go back to that lonesome life, when he had learned all of these wonderful things and had come to love all these wonderful people?

 

He’d finally be alone like he had craved his whole life, but it’d be meaningless.

 

When the third fever came, Natsume realized that it probably wasn’t just because of his compromised immune system. Three was too many, wasn’t it?

 

He was pretty much behind in school now, he was sure. Did the parent-teacher conference happen yet?

 

All his friends came to see him at some point or another, even Shibata. Taki and Tanuma had visited a lot, and at some point, Natori had brought some obnoxious looking flowers; they were beautiful, vibrant, and thorny, just like the man himself. Some sort of specialty rose, probably.

 

Nyanko-sensei was always at his side, protecting him from yokai. Sometimes he’d be talking to Natsume, or nagging him even when he was asleep, which was strangely comforting.

 

Eventually, in the midst of his fever-daze, Natsume could see just how worn and uncertain Touko and Shigeru looked. He wasn’t sure why it was so persistent, and he was thankful they hadn’t caught it, but they looked positively drained.

 

The Fujiwaras were too kind. It wasn’t like Natsume could really go anywhere, or that he’d die from a simple fever. He wished he had the energy to tell them to sleep and worry about themselves more, but he had nothing in him. Any time someone came over, he couldn’t find any energy to speak, to move, to smile.

 

Eventually, Natsume’s fever broke, and thankfully, the Fujiwara couple looked a lot more chipper.

 

“Oh, Takashi-kun, you’re awake!” Touko smiled, tightening her grip on the boy’s hand. “Would you like anything to eat or drink?”

 

He averted his gaze under her loving scrutiny and deflated a bit in relief. Her face was looking more colorful and healthy than he remembered it being in the height of his sickness. “No thank you, Touko-san. How long have I been out?”

 

Her loving gaze turned into something unreadable, with her lips pressed thin. “Five days.”

 

Suddenly, her arms were wrapping around him in a tight hug, her breathing becoming more of a sob. “Please take care of yourself, Takashi-kun. Shigeru and I were so worried, and we were so close to taking you to a hospital… but we absolutely wanted to be near you when you woke up.”

 

His heart lurched as a warm wetness accumulated into the nape of his neck and her words became a timid, quiet whisper. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had cried over him like this-

 

“Oh,” Natsume blinked, his heart twisting with an overwhelming force of fondness. “You cried at the hospital, too, Touko-san.”

 

Her grip relaxed and she leaned back, to wipe her tears and to give him a big, beaming smile. “Thank god you’re okay.”

 

He laughed a little. “I think you said that too.”

 

She shared in the moment with a giggle. “We’re just missing Shigeru, huh?”

 

“I’m here!” Shigeru panted, sliding a bit in his sock on the hallway floor. There was paint splattered on his pants and shirt, even flecks in his hair and on his glasses. “Takashi-kun, how are you feeling?”

 

Natsume couldn’t help but stare at the curious sight, uncertain if he’d ever seen Shigeru out of breath, or covered in paint. Normally a very composed person, it was striking to see him so messy, and so worried. “I’m much better now. Thank you, Shigeru-san.”

 

The couple shared a mysterious look for a moment that the boy couldn’t decipher.

 

“Are you up to eating or drinking anything, Takashi-kun?” Shigeru asked, eyes looking him up and down.

 

Natsume couldn’t help but think of how similar the two could be sometimes. For the first time in a while, a smile came to him, naturally. “Sure, that would be lovely.”

 

Finally, as if they had been held straight by a string that was just cut by his words, the two seemed to relax considerably. Although unsure if he was hungry or thirsty, he was sure they would be happier if he ate and drank something.

 

Touko-san went to cook and Shigeru went to wash up, leaving Natsume to rest a bit more before their meal. He wondered if it would be breakfast or lunch, watching dust motes dance in the sunlight of his window.

 

“So,” Nyanko-sensei said after a moment of silence, “how are you feeling?”

 

The boy gave his companion a small grin, knowing that he’d almost never been alone during the whole time he was sick. So much for being a proud yokai, a cut above the rest, when he had spent most of a week watching over a human brat. “Better now, Sensei.”

 

The yokai narrowed his eyes, watching Natsume carefully. “What changed?”

 

Natsume blinked. “Changed?

 

“Ahh, don’t worry about it.” The fat cat sighed with a happier look on his face. “You’re smiling again, so I guess you’re okay.” Nyanko-sensei jumped on Natsume’s chest, pushing him down into his bed. “Rest, servant.”

 

Natsume followed his orders without complaint, curling up next to his friend.

 

 _What changed?_ The boy thought about Nyanko-sensei’s words, wondering the same thing himself. He glanced at said cat, who was already snoring a bit, amazingly. During his long fever-induced sleep, Natsume realized something important.

 

Even if he was a freak, and even if he did end up alone, one pudgy, annoying, grumpy old cat would stay by his side, no matter what happened. So, even if he didn't want it, he was sure Nyanko-sensei wouldn't let him be alone, all by himself, ever again.

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize for making Tanuma so dramatic, but I love how much he cares for Natsume canonically (if you think about it, it's a lil ridiculous though right?) and out of context of the happenings in the show, I think he's definitely a bit dramatic.
> 
> The show hasn't addressed the issue of Natsume's future in-depth as I'd like, because I definitely think it would throw him through a loop more than has been mentioned, so I decided to explore the idea a little. (Not at all because I love everyone caring and being concerned for Natsume when he's sick. Totally not that at all.)
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day!


End file.
